Sport shoes consist of two main elements: the sole and the upper, which is made up of several pieces combined through a time- and cost-intensive process. Each piece serves a specific function. A recent trend is the use of weft knitting technology for producing uppers, which allows for the integration of necessary shoe functions (e.g., stability, air permeability, cushioning) into one fabric piece in a single production step. Currently, weft knitted shoe uppers utilize flat knitting technology, offering structural flexibility but requiring about 45 minutes to produce the two uppers for one pair of shoes. This thesis focuses on developing a knitted shoe upper with different functional zones for lightweight running applications using small circular knitting technology. The new design aims to reduce production time to one-third while maintaining similar mechanical properties. However, the high adjustability of weft knitted structures complicates product development, as fabric characteristics depend on various machine parameters, necessitating multiple adjustments and skilled technicians. To address this, the 'Textile Development Method – TED' provides a systematic guideline for new product realization, incorporating integrated correlation matrices to predict product properties. Using this method, a competitive lightweight running shoe upper prototype with multiple function zones was successfully created within the first iteration
